Antiskidding link



Au'g. '14, 1928. v 1,681,125

F. MARKWICK ANTISKIDDING LINE Filed Oct. 7, 1927 Yao Patented Aug. 14, 1928.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

ANTISKIDDING LINE.

Application filed October 7, 1927. Serial No. 224,628.

The invention relates to improvements in anti-skidding and traction attachments for automobile wheels and has reference more particularly to a link of novel form which may be related in any of a great number of ways, with other links so as to effectively prevent skidding and give efficient traction, regardless of how slippery the roadway Or other surface may be.

It is the object of the inventi on to provide an exceptionally simple and inexpensive link of the class set forth which may be readily connected with other links and then closed or substantially closed to prevent accidental disconnection, although per'mitting sufiicient opening to remove the link whenever it is 'advisable to replace it with a new one.

With the foregoing in view, the invention resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, the description being supplemented by the accompanying drawing.

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view .of tire Chains embodying a plurality of the improved anti-skidding links.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevation looking in the direction of the arrow A of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view through one of the anti-skidding links, taken on line 3-3 of Figs. 1 and 2 and for sake of clearness, omitting the connected link which would in reality appear behind the plane on which the view is cut.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view showing a somewhat diferent form of link construction and illustrating a plurality of the anti-skidding links connected directly with each other and disposed in a channel in the tread of a tire.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view substantially on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of an anti-skidding link very similar to those shown in Figs. 4: and 5 but illustrating it connected with ordinary chain links, this construction being particularly adaptable for'use on anti-skid Chains for busses and trucks.

The form of construction shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 will first be described. The numerals 7 denote anti-skidding links constructed in accordance with the inventon. Each of -these links is preferably formed from a single short piece of metal rod 8 of desired diameter. The ends of this rod are formed with return bends 9 providing two hooks whose bills 10 extend longitudinally toward the opposite ends of the links. At

the ends 11 of the bills 10, the rod ends are bent outwardly upon and extend longitudinally of said hills, providing elongated calks 1 2 for engagement with a roadway or the llke, these calks being preferably ground Or otherwise sharpened as clearly' shown in Figsi l and 3.

Transversely, the link 7 is of substantially V shape, with one of the hooks 9 and its calk 12 Occupying one side S of the V (Fig. 3), with the other hook 9 and its calk 12 occupying the other side S' of the V, and with the substantially central longitudinal body portion 8 of the link disposed at the apex of the V. The hooks 9 constitute means for connecting the ends of the link With additional links and it will be observed that they are spaced inwardly from a common plane P at which the road-engaging edges Oli the calks 12 terminate. This relation Will be understood'from Figs. 2 and 3. In the former, the calk 12 are both shown terminating at the plane P and while this same relation exists in Fig. 3, only one of the calks is shown extending to said plane, as it is the portion of the other calk which is cut away in this view, that extends to said plane.

The links 7 may be used in any desired' number and in any advantageou relation With other links either of the same construction or of' any-other construction.

In Figs. 1 and 2, two of the links 7 are embodied in each cross chain C of an otherwise conventional tire chain, whose side Chains SC may of course be constructed and connected in any desired manner. Each cross chain C may well embody a pluralty of links of ordinary form connected with the outer end of the links 7 and the inner ends of these links may be connected by an oval or other desired link L.

In Figs. 4 and 5, the links 7 are of substantially the same construction as the links 7, but instead of forming the calks 12 of triangular shape in transverse section, they are rectangular. They nevertheless present sharp edges for contact with the roadway to prevent skidding and to give ample traction. The bills 10 in this form of construction converge sufliciently with the elongated body portion 8', to prevent adjacent links from being accide'ntally unhooked from engagement with each other. This same construction exists in the form of the invention first described.

In Figs. fit and 5, a plurality of the hooks 7 are connected directly with each other to provide a eontinuous chain which occupies Z peripheral groove G extending around the eireumierenee of a tire T. No claim is herein made to the disposition ol' the eliain in the groove r, nor to the tire construction, but Figs. 4; and serve to illustrate another ol' the many ways in which the improved anti-sliidine link may be employed. lf desired. instead of using the links T in the relation shown in these views, links could of course be employed and in factany Other form ot the invention could he embodied in the links of the ehain, and it will be understood that such chain could he formed either totally of the improved links or could only emhody them at intervals.

Fil. (3 diseloses a construction which is preterable on heavy duty chains such as those used on motor truekg and busses. In this view, one of the improved links T is shown connected with links C' of a cross ehain. In this view, the construction is snb stantiall v the same as the constl'm't ion of the link T, but hcavier material is preterably employed and disconnection of the link 7 :from the links C', may be prevented by hending the bills 10 of the hooks into close relation with each other instead of slanting them toward the longitudinal body portion of the hook. These bills are provided with sharp-edgzed ealks 12 which may substantially duplicate either the ealks 12 or the ealks 12. 01' may in some instances be of other forms.

Reaardles of the exact details of construction employed for the link and reeardless of the way in which a number of these links are associated with other links, the invention will be efiicient to a high degree for preventing skidding and giving ample traetion on slippery surfaces. The ways in which the links may be used, are too numerous for illustration in this application, and the applieations Which have been disclosed, are hence Only illustrative of a few ways in which the device may be employed.

There are certain features of construction generic to all forms of the invention herein disclosed. Each form, considered specifically, embodies an elongated substantially Central body portion such as 8, return bends such as 9 at the ends of said body portion providing hooks for connecting the link with Other links, and ealks such as 12 formed on and extending longitudinally of the hook bills, such as 10. Considered even more speeifically, each improved link embodies the features just enumerated, plus the trans verse V-shape of the link, with one hook and its ealk occupying one side of the V, the

other hook and its callt oeeupying the other side of the V and the longitudinal body portion S disposed at the apex of the V. Considered in another aspeet, the invention eomprises a link of suhstantially V shape in transverse section and having means at its ends for connectin it with additional links* the portions of the V remote from the apex thereof constituting ealks, the atoresaid connecting means being inwardly spaeed from a common plane '(sueh as P) at which the road engaging portions ot said ealks terminate, thus insuring that these ealks and not the eonneeting means shall receive the greater amount of wear. Considered in still another manner, the invention Comprises a link eomposed of an elongated suhstantially central body portion having means at its ends for Com'iectine it with other links, and road enga rine portions extendinp: loneitudinally ot and diverging laterally from said body portion. In the present diselosnre, the body portion just referred to is a formation such as 8, the means at the ends of this body portion for conneeting it with other links, are the hooks such as and the road engaging portions extendin:: longitudinally of and diverging laterally from said body portion, are the portions such as 10 and 12. Tt will be understood however that links may be produced having Characteristics such as those briefly defined in this paragraph -without resorting to specific details of construction herein disclosed.

I claim:

1. An anti-skidding link comprisinr an elongated body having return hends at its ends providing: two hooks whose bills extend inwardly toward opposite ends of the link, each of said bills beina' provided with an integral elongated calk along its lower side extending substantially throughout its length.

2. An anti-skidding link comprising an elongated body having return bends at its ends providing two hooks Whose bills extend inwardly toward opposite ends of the link, each of said bills being provided with an integral elongated calk extendingz lon itudinally thereof, said link being of V shape transversely With one of said hooks and its ealk Oeeupying one side of the V, the other hook and Call: occupying the other side of the V and said body disposed at the apcx of the V.

3. An anti skiddinp; link eomprising a short rod having return bends at its ends providing two hooks whose bills extend in- Wardly toward opposite ends of the linkthe end portions of said rod at the ends of said bills being bent upon the latter and extending longitudinally of said bills to provide ealks.

4. A structure as Specified in claim 3; said link being V-shaped transversely with one additional links, the portions Ofthe V remote from the apex thereof constituting calks, said' connecting means being inWardly spaced from a common plane at Which the road-engaging portions of said terminate. v

6. An anti-skidding link comprising an elongated substantially central body portion having means at its ends for connecting it c alks to Other links, and road engaging portions extending longitudinally of and diverging laterally in tran'sverse section from said body 20 portion.

In testimony Whereof I have hereunto afixed my signature. i v FREDERICK MARKWICK. 

